Monday, April 30, 2012

The Sporting News is reporting that Jeremy Mayfield will not appeal his case
against NASCAR to the United States Supreme Court.

In May of 2009, Mayfield was
suspended by the sanctioning body when a random drug test revealed
methamphetamine in his system. Mayfield argued the failed test was due to a
combination of Adderall and Claritin-D, but his case was dismissed. He has been unsuccessful in two
prior appeals, and in late March, the United States Court of Appeals once again refused to
reinstate the case, saying U.S. District Judge Graham Mullen had ruled correctly that Mayfield
had waived his right to sue when he signed an application to be a NASCAR driver
and team owner.

Speaking briefly
with reporters during an appearance in Caldwell County court today, Mayfield
said he will pursue the case no further. That decision will not bring an end to
his legal problems, however. He appeared in court today on one felony count of
possession of methamphetamine, three felony counts of possession of stolen
goods and one count of obtaining property under false pretenses; all related to
a Nov. 1, 2011 search of his home by sheriff’s deputies. If convicted, he faces
a maximum of 14 years in jail.

He
also saw his North Carolina home go on the auction block this morning as part
of a bank foreclosure. Mayfield and his wife, Shana, took out a pair of mortgages totaling
$3,127,500 on the home and its surrounding 455-acre property in July of 2006.
The loans fell into default after Mayfield was suspended from NASCAR, with approximately $2.3 million in
principal still owed.

Foreclosure proceedings began
in December of last year and Mayfield’s lender, Carolina Farm Credit, purchased
the home today for $1.725 million. CFC will allow new bids
to be submitted on the $3 million property for the next 10 days. Mayfield has disputed
the specifics of the case, telling reporters, “those numbers ain’t right” during
a court appearance last month. He said he had a plan to save his home from the
auctioneer’s gavel, and in a Twitter post recently, said the home, “will always
be mine.” In the aftermath of today’s auction, however, he now has 10 days to
pay the entire balance due, or vacate the property.

“I’m doing as
good as I can with everything going on,” said Mayfield to Sporting News reporter Bob Pockrass. “We’re just working
hard trying to get it all behind us. …Some great things hopefully will happen
once we get all of this stuff behind us.”

The No. 01 JD
Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series team suffered a total loss to their hauler
on Sunday evening, when it caught fire at their race shop.

There were no injuries and the tractor was detached and pulled away before suffering
any damage. However, the hauler loaded with equipment, uniforms, back-up parts,
engines, shocks and springs for their operation was a total loss.

Fortunately for the team, their primary and backup No. 01 Restaurant.com
Chevrolets for this weekend’s race at Talladega Superspeedway were not on the
hauler at the time of the fire. The race shop also emerged with no damage.

“The fire department told me the fire started near the refrigerator on the
hauler;” said Johnny Davis, team owner. “That’s powered by propane, like
everyone else’s is on these haulers. It started around 7 p.m. and we were able
to detach the tractor before anything happened to it and get that out of the
way.

“The hauler itself is a total loss; almost everything on there is burnt beyond
use. Luckily, the fine folks at Robby Benton Racing stepped up and will let us
use their hauler for this weekend’s race. We were also fortunate enough to have
Black’s Tire helps us out to get to race this weekend, too. On behalf of
everyone on my team, we’d all like to thank them for their help.

“Our spirits are down here a little bit at JD Motorsports today, we just didn’t
need something like this right now. Our spirits might be down, but not broken –
we’re going to be racing at Talladega.”

A few facts, if you will, concerning Saturday night’s “Capital
City 400” at Richmond International Raceway.

Edwards dominated Saturday

Controversy erupted in the aftermath of the race’s penultimate
restart, when Carl Edwards was black flagged by NASCAR for jumping the green
flag with 81 laps remaining. The Roush Fenway Racing driver had dominated the
race to that point, leading 206 laps of the 319 laps run. But a bizarre set of
late-race circumstances set the stage for confusion, anger and
misunderstanding, leaving Edwards to scramble back through the field for a
disappointing 10th-place finish.

Lap 313 (87 remaining): Johnson pits under the ensuing caution period, handing the lead to Stewart. Kyle Busch receives the “Lucky Dog,” bypasses the Pace
Car and becomes the fourth car on the lead lap, along with Stewart, Edwards and Johnson.

Lap 314 (86
remaining): Johnson is penalized by NASCAR for an errant tire on pit
road, forcing him to restart at the rear of the field.

Lap 318 (82
remaining): Numerous cars take advantage of NASCAR’s “wave around”
procedure, passing the Pace Car and putting themselves back on the lead lap.
They take their place at the back of the pack, restarting behind a number of lapped
machines.

The field forms-up for the restart, with Stewart on the
inside of the front row and Edwards alongside.

While scrubbing tires for the impending restart, Edwards
crosses the start/finish line ahead of Stewart, causing RIR’s automated
scoreboard to erroneously display him as the leader. A FOX television graphic
also displays Edwards as the leader.

Edwards is informed by spotter Jason Hedlesky that he is,
in fact, being scored as the leader. (Hedlesky
subsequently claims a NASCAR official confirmed that Edwards was the leader of
the race; a statement the sanctioning body denies.) Edwards assumes that as
the leader, he is in control of the impending restart.

Stewart WAS the leader

Lap 319 (81
remaining): Edwards accelerates in Turn Four, prior to entering
NASCAR’s mandated “restart box.” The green flag flies and Edwards beats Stewart
to the start/finish line by a wide margin. He is immediately black-flagged by
NASCAR for jumping the restart and pits to serve his penalty, forfeiting any chance
for victory.

While the situation was confusing at the time, the facts
in hindsight clearly indicate that Stewart – not Edwards – was the rightful
leader of the race. While many fans (and a handful of media members) still are
unclear about the events that unfolded Saturday night, there are four
indisputable facts that make the situation much easier to understand…

FACT ONE: Edwards and his team erroneously assumed NASCAR
had made a “late call” designating him as the leader. "Jason
Hedlesky told me I was the leader,” said Edwards after the race. “I did
everything I could to beat Tony down into Turn One. I had no clue they were going
to black-flag me afterward.”

“It was very confusing," agreed crew chief Bob
Osborne. "We rely on NASCAR to tell us how we came off pit road and where
we were supposed to line up. Unfortunately, a late call made it much more
confusing than what it really was. When you have to make a split-second
decision based on information coming over the radio, it's a lot harder than
when you have time to digest what's going on.”

FACT TWO: Scoring pylons and television “crawls” are
unofficial. Track scoreboards and television graphics are based on
raw transponder data, and are intended only to help fans and viewers keep up
with the race. Lineups are frequently adjusted by NASCAR prior to restarts, and
no restart lineup or finishing order is official until confirmed by the
sanctioning body.

In short, it’s dangerous to assume, without being in
possession of all the facts.

FACT THREE: If Edwards had been the leader of the race, NASCAR
would have allowed him to choose his lane for the restart. Despite a good
deal of confusion in the spotter’s stand and pit area, NASCAR never wavered in designating
Stewart as the rightful leader of the race. The sanctioning body indicated as
much by allowing the defending series champion to select the advantageous
inside line for the restart. “Coming to the one to go, they knew (Stewart) was
the leader and (Edwards) was second,” said NASCAR’s Robin Pemberton. “It's as
clear as that."

FACT FOUR: Edwards’ Lap 319 restart was illegal,
whether he was the leader or not. NASCAR mandates that all restarts must
occur within a designated “restart box.” Lines are clearly painted on the wall,
delineating the parameters of this box. Drivers are told every week in their
pre-race driver’s meeting that failing to honor the boundaries of the restart
box will result in a black flag.

Numerous television replays show that Edwards restarted
well before entering the box, leaving Stewart in his wake. Stewart may (or may
not) have compounded the situation by spinning his tires, or intentionally laying
back to make Edwards’ infraction more apparent. In the end, however, it doesn’t
matter.

When Edwards gassed up his No. 99 Ford before reaching
the restart box, he sealed his own doom.

Richard Petty Motorsports has hired
veteran Mike Ford to serve as crew chief for the No. 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series team and driver Aric Almirola. Ford joins the team after leading Denny
Hamlin’s No. 11 team to six consecutive post-season appearances in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series. He will join the team immediately and will be atop the pit
box in Talladega.

The 42-year-old Morristown, Tenn.,
native spent the past six seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing as Hamlin’s crew chief.
In that span, he led his team to 17 wins, 66 top-five finishes and 108 top-10
finishes and never missed a Chase appearance. The 12-year Sprint Cup veteran
also previously held crew chief roles for Dale Jarrett at Robert Yates Racing
and Bill Elliott at Evernham Motorsports.

“Mike Ford is an elite crew chief
who knows what it takes to be a winner at this level,” said team owner Richard
Petty. “We’re fortunate that he was available and that we could reach a deal to
bring him over to our place. We’ve taken a lot of big steps at Richard Petty
Motorsports in the past year and I think this might be that one piece of the
puzzle we were missing.”

In eight races with Petty, Almirola
has one top-10 and one top-15 finish in the 2012 Sprint Cup season.

“I can’t wait to start working with
Mike,” Almirola said. “Everyone in the garage respects him and knows what he’s
capable of. It’s a goal of the 43 team to make the Chase this year and I think
Mike’s experience and knowledge can help get us there. We’ve got some ground to
make up but I think we can do it.”

Ford said he is also looking forward
to join forces with Petty and Almirola.

“Richard Petty Motorsports has
proven to be a winning organization with the potential to be a Chase
contender,” said Ford. “Sammy Johns has built a solid foundation from a
competition standpoint and I’m looking forward to working with Aric and the
rest of the team.”

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Elliott
Sadler commented yesterday on the issues facing his Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Nationwide Series Chevrolet, and his comments sounded eerily similar to
those uttered by Sprint Cup Series team owner Rick Hendrick just a few weeks
before.

Sadler’s
One Main Financial Chevrolet was one of six cars from the RCR and Turner
Motorsports stables found to have "modified upper bumper covers" in
pre-race inspection for last night’s “Virginia 529 College Savings 250” at
Richmond International Raceway. Also found in violation were the cars of RCR
teammates Austin Dillon and Kevin Harvick, along with Turner Motorsports
drivers Justin Allgaier, James Buescher and Kasey Kahne. All six teams were
required to replace the noses of their cars prior to last night’s race.

"It
was the same car I've run twice already this season," insisted Sadler
Friday. "It's been through pre-race inspections and it's been through
post-race teardowns because we won two races with it. When we went through the
tech line, we got a sticker… with no issues. Every single template fit the car.
Everybody was back at the trailer, working on the car and scaling it out when
NASCAR came and said we had to cut the nose off.”

Sadler finished sixth Friday night.

In
February, team owner Hendrick made similar claims after Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48
Chevrolet was ruled to have illegal c-pillars in pre-qualifying inspection for
the Daytona 500. Like Sadler, Hendrick said NASCAR officials never measured the
parts in question before ruling them illegal. The team was fined and docked
championships points, but most of the penalty was overturned by National Stock
Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook on appeal.

"We
don't really know what's going to happen,” said Sadler, admitting concern over
how a possible penalty might affect his slender championship point lead. “We
did what (NASCAR) wanted us to do. All the templates fit, but I think it was an
eye test.”

Sources close to the sanctioning body say the RCR teams had altered the wheel
wells on both sides of the car, while the Turner cars were altered on only one side.
NASCAR rules require the nose pieces be run as they come from the manufacturer,
with no modifications allowed.

Sadler
said he has no idea what to expect Tuesday – NASCAR’s traditional day to
announce penalties from the previous race weekend – saying he and his team are “a
little confused” about the nature of the alleged violation. “I guess we'll see
what Tuesday brings us, but we can't do anything about it. NASCAR asked us to
cut it off, so we cut it off."

He
confirmed that RCR has replaced the noses on six cars – three primaries and
three backups -- scheduled to compete at Talladega (AL) Superspeedway next
weekend. Sadler drove his reworked Chevrolet to a sixth-place finish at RIR
Friday night, and now leads defending series champion Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., by
just two points.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Kevin Harvick
does not agree with Bruton Smith's recently announced decision to rework
Bristol Motor Speedway, and apparently, he’s not alone.

﻿

Harvick: "Nobody called."

One after
another today, a series of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers told reporters they
were not consulted about the change, and are against the idea. The most outspoken of
the group was Kevin Harvick, who criticized Smith for soliciting the opinion of
NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip, and not him.

﻿﻿Smith told
Sirius XM NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway
with Dave Moody yesterday that he contacted a number of drivers before
deciding to remove the progressive banking from the track’s upper groove.
Earlier in the day, however, he insisted, "I do not consult race drivers
when I am building a speedway.''

Harvick claimed
he was contacted by BMS management earlier this month to request a meeting, but
that the track never followed through. "They were all gung ho on wanting
to meet at Texas,'' he said, “(but) nobody showed up, nobody called, nobody
wanted to talk anymore. I guess maybe they were embarrassed that they just
wound up grinding it.

"Racing will be the same."

"Obviously,
it didn't sound like Bruton wanted anybody's opinion that drives a car, so he
went to Darrell,'' said Harvick."When's the last time he drove at
Bristol?''

Harvick was not
the only driver puzzled by Smith’s decision. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point
leader Greg Biffle said track officials are “wasting their time,' by changing
the track, wondering why he and his fellow drivers were not asked for their opinions.
"We're the ones driving,” he said. “We're the ones that know what it
needs.”

Driver Dale
Earnhardt, Jr., said he doubts the racing will change at the Tennessee oval,
adding that he enjoys the track’s current layout, “I believe the racing will be
the same,” said Earnhardt. “Grinding will take away a little groove, but once
we lay a little rubber down it'll be just like it was, which I think is fine."

Five-time series
champion Jimmie Johnson said he was not consulted, either, continuing a recent pattern
of track’s making changes without asking for driver feedback. "There's a
lot of drivers in the garage -- including myself -- that have made it known
we're available,'' said Johnson. "I wasn't asked on this one (and) I
wasn't asked about Kansas.'' He said management at Phoenix International
Raceway sought his input before their recent repave, but failed to integrate
any of his suggestions into the final design.

For
the fourth consecutive year, NASCAR and Nationwide Insurance have combined to
bring back the “Dash 4 Cash” bonus program for Series drivers and fans.

Introduced
in 2009, the “Dash 4 Cash” rewards the highest-finishing eligible driver in
four designated races with a $100,000 bonus, above and beyond the race purse.
Fans also can participate via a sweepstakes that culminates with one lucky fan
also winning $100,000.

The
basic format of the event is unchanged. In four select races this season, four
drivers who have earned the right to compete for the $100,000 per-race bonus
will “have at it.” The “Dash 4 Cash” winner does not necessarily have to win the race. He or she must simply
be the highest-finishing eligible NASCAR Nationwide Series contender.

There
are two key revisions to this season’s program. First, the July 6 race at
Daytona International Speedway will serve as the “qualifier,” with the top four
Nationwide Series finishers earning “Dash 4 Cash” designation in the first race
of the program on July 14 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Also,
this year’s “Dash 4 Cash” races will be run in succession this year, with the July
race at New Hampshire followed by the July 22 race at Chicagoland Speedway, the
July 28 event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Aug. 4 race at Iowa
Speedway.

Driver
eligibility will be determined as follows:

·
New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 14) – Top four drivers to receive NASCAR
Nationwide Series (NNS) championship driver points at Daytona qualify for New
Hampshire.

If
a driver is able to win the “Dash 4 Cash” bonus in each of the first three
races, then win the Iowa Speedway finale, Nationwide Insurance will pay an
additional $600,000 to that driver in Victory Lane.

“We’re
looking forward to partnering with Nationwide Insurance for another round of
the ‘Dash 4 Cash’ program,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president
of racing operations. “Since its inception, ‘Dash 4 Cash’ has brought increased
notoriety to the drivers, teams and participating tracks in the NASCAR
Nationwide Series.

“We
believe the $100,000 guaranteed winner for the select ‘Dash 4 Cash’ races will
continue to elevate the series. Additionally, the condensed schedule will help
our fans follow the exciting storylines and finishes we anticipate with the
2012 program.”

"Offering
a $1 million bonus opportunity for NASCAR Nationwide Series teams brings
another level of intensity to the race track and more attention to our
series," said Jim McCoy, director of strategic partnerships for Nationwide
Insurance. "There's a very good chance a driver could get hot and take
home the million dollar bonus at the conclusion of our ‘Dash 4 Cash’ series at
Iowa Speedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won both races in 2011."

The
program isn’t just for the drivers. Since fans drive the sport, they are also encouraged
to participate by visiting www.NASCAR.COM/dash4cash and registering for a
chance to win $100,000. Four lucky fans and their guests will win an
all-expense paid trip to the final “Dash 4 Cash” race at Iowa. In addition to a
VIP experience, those fans will be randomly paired with the four eligible “Dash
4 Cash” drivers for the race. The fan whose driver wins the Iowa “Dash 4 Cash”
award also will receive a check for $100,000.

At 53 years old, Mark
Martin is the oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He’s certainly one of the
hippest, as evidenced by his new “Epic Swag” T-shirt.

Martin and his Michael
Waltrip Racing crew plan to sport the new black “Swagtastic since 1981” shirts
at race tracks in the coming weeks.

“I think they are pretty
bad,” said Martin, with “bad” meaning… well… good.

The epic Mark Martin

“Who’d of thought I’d ever have a T-shirt like
this,” laughed Martin. “I think they’ll be in pretty high demand on the
Internet and the souvenir truck. I think it’s something I’ll wear at the race
track, or working out in the gym.”

Martin’s Epic Swag saga
began when the driver’s 65,000-follower Twitter account (@55markmartin) was
hacked last month, rendering the 30-year NASCAR veteran completely powerless
over his newest hobby. The culprit – known only as Epic Swag -- commandeered
the account and began changing settings and altering followers. Quick work by
Twitter restored Martin’s account to full functionality, and by late Saturday
night, Martin was back to tweeting about his favorite rappers like Dr. Dre and
Gucci Mane, and answering fan questions.

His race team couldn’t
resist some good natured ribbing of the future Hall-of-Famer, and gave Martin
the new nickname “Epic Swag.” Martin’s No. 55 Toyota even carried the name
above the driver’s window during the Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway.

“I can’t walk through
the garage now without someone calling out Epic Swag,” laughed Martin. “We’ve
had a lot of fun with it. The fans kept asking, so we made some T-shirts. My
wife (Arlene) just shakes her head.”

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

JD
Motorsports, Restaurant.com and HalfOffDeals.com have entered into an agreement
for primary and co-sponsorship on the team’s No. 01 Chevrolet driven by Mike
Wallace for the 2012 season.

Restaurant.com is the leading provider of restaurant savings nationwide,
offering nearly 50,000 daily deals at more than 18,000 restaurants. Customers
can visit Restaurant.com or download the Restaurant.com iPhone app to search
for restaurant deals in their area, or while traveling to the races.

“We are delighted to partner with JD Motorsports,” said Christopher Krohn,
Restaurant.com President and Chief Marketing Officer. “Restaurant.com’s sponsorship
is a natural extension of our brand promise to provide the largest selection of
deals for diners on the go. Through this partnership, we look forward to
driving home our message of the best deal on every meal to loyal race fans all
across the country.”

The agreement begins with an associate status for this weekend’s NASCAR
Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway, and will move to a
primary partnership at Talladega Superspeedway the following weekend.
Restaurant.com’s primary partnership will continue through all four races in
the month of May.

“We are very fortunate to have someone like Restaurant.com come on board with
our team at this time,” said Johnny Davis, owner of JD Motorsports. “We have
been so close to being that much better week in and week out. Now, with their
help, we can try that much harder for better success on the track.

“Everyone -- and I mean everyone -- in racing likes food. Whether it’s our
team, other teams, fans and the folks watching the races at home; they all
enjoy great food at great deals. So, I know they will all get behind us and
show Restaurant.com the value of being involved with our NASCAR team.”

Wallace, a four-time winner in NNS competition, will serve as a spokesperson
for Restaurant.com in various advertising opportunities. “I looked through
their entire website the other day and found some great place near my house I
didn’t know about,” Wallace said. “We can also use these deals when we travel
from city-to-city during our season. I know the fans of this sport will take
advantage of what Restaurant.com has to offer.

“As a team, we appreciate their interest in our No. 01 Chevrolet team here at
JD Motorsports. Now, it’s up to us to deliver some good results for them on the
track and show them why being part of NASCAR is beneficial to companies.”

As an added benefit for our NASCAR family, fans are invited to visit
HalfOffDeals.com to purchase a $200 eGift Card for only $35. In all, diners can
choose from nearly 50,000 dining deals at more than 18,000 neighborhood
restaurants nationwide. To learn more or take advantage of this offer, visit
HalfOffDeals.com and click on the Restaurant.com offer.

When
Bristol Motor Speedway was a one-lane race track and the only way to pass was
to deftly nudge the leading car out of the way, some people loved it. Others
hated it.

More
recently, when a reconfigured Bristol spawned long runs of two and three-wide
racing and far fewer wrecks, some people loved it. Others hated it.

Give them what they want to see...

“Old
Bristol,” with its multi-car crashes and volcanic tempers, packed its
160,000-seat grandstand with rabid race fans who could not bear the thought of
missing a single spark or four-letter word. “New Bristol” – saddled with a
flagging economy and soaring gasoline prices -- saw half its seats go unfilled
recently for the first time in memory.

Bruton
Smith is the CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., parent company of Bristol Motor
Speedway. Always a “buck stops here” type of guy, Smith has never shied away
from making difficult – even controversial – decisions. With a keen eye for
discerning what the paying customers want, Smith was first to create a Fan Zone
at his race tracks, giving spectators a level of access unprecedented in the sport.
He brought the excitement and drama of NASCAR racing to new venues like Las
Vegas, and transformed venerable ovals like Bristol into gleaming monuments to
the sport.

Now,
Smith faces his latest – and perhaps greatest – challenge, trying to bring
Bristol Motor Speedway closer to what it used to be, without alienating the
purists who appreciate the more genteel aspects of recent events there.

He announced
Wednesday that construction crews will grind the track’s outside groove to eliminate the
progressive banking and its inherent high-line advantage. The usable portion of the race track will also be
narrower, leaving drivers less room to work and forcing them to once again elbow each other aside for the preferred piece of real estate.

Progressive banking is not the
enemy here. It has resurrected both Las Vegas and Homestead-Miami
Speedways, turning them from ho-hum, one-laners to two of the more competitive venues
in the sport. By grinding the outside lane and narrowing the usable racing
surface, Smith hopes to re-create – to as large a degree as possible – the “Rock`em
Sock`em Robots” atmosphere that sold out 55 consecutive Sprint Cup races there between
1982 and 2010.

Bruton
Smith is no stranger to controversy or polarization. In this instance, however, he correctly believes
that the workable ground lies somewhere in the middle. He won’t leave the track
the way it is, and he won’t change it back to what it was.

He’ll attempt to find a happy medium, and
race fans should wish him luck.

A second reconfiguration of
Bristol Motor Speedway will not cure the economy. It will not bring gasoline
back to $3 a gallon. But maybe, just maybe, it will re-create the sort of
high-drama, “can’t miss” racing that convinces fans to ignore the economic
realities of life, if only for two weekends a year.

After being unveiled in a public
ceremony today at the Virginia State Capitol, the 2012 Focus Electric pace cars
are ready for a historic race weekend, becoming the first all-electric vehicles
to pace a NASCAR Sprint Cup event.
﻿

With Bolling and Kuehn in one pace
car and Lynch in the other, the vehicles drove through the streets of Richmond
after the ceremony to Richmond International Raceway, where they were turned
over for weekend duty to Dennis Bickmeier, president of RIR.

“It will be a special moment for
NASCAR fans across the country, Virginians and the Ford family on Saturday
night when the Focus Electric completes its first lap as the official pace car
for the Capital City 400,” said Kuehn. “As Ford and NASCAR make history with
the first all-electric pace car, we will also be demonstrating to thousands of
race fans and millions more on TV that you can combine performance and
fuel-efficiency.”

Bolling said the state of Virginia
takes pride in having the all-electric pace car debut in Richmond.

Ford's New 2013 Sprint Cup Car

“I was delighted to unveil the 2012
Ford Focus Electric pace car at the Virginia State Capitol. Virginia is the
energy capital of the East Coast so it’s only fitting that the first ever
all-electric pace car will debut at the Richmond NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
race,” said Bolling. “NASCAR is not just great fun, but it is also big
business, having a huge economic impact on the metro Richmond area each year.
We love to have folks visit Richmond for our annual NASCAR races and take
advantage of all that the Commonwealth has to offer.”

NASCAR’s Lynch pointed out that this
weekend marks another historic moment in the sport’s history.

“The arrival of the 2012 Ford Focus
Electric pace car is a strong example of how the innovation cycle around green
transportation is accelerating,” said Lynch. “The Ford Focus Electric was held
to the same highly demanding standard of any pace car, and more than met the
performance requirements. Seeing it on the track at Richmond International
Raceway will be another historic moment for our sport.”

In addition to being the first
manufacturer to compete with a four-door sedan as its flagship model in 1998,
Ford was also first to use a hybrid to start a NASCAR event when the Fusion
Hybrid served as pace car for the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2008.

In January, Ford became the first
manufacturer to show off its 2013 NASCAR race car when it unveiled the new 2013
Fusion racer to media in Charlotte, N.C.

Motor Racing Network –
“The Voice of NASCAR” – will kick off a full weekend of coverage from Richmond
International Raceway with Thursday’s exclusive webcast of the annual Denny
Hamlin Short-Track Showdown.

Reigning NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is among the drivers scheduled to compete in
the 100-lap special event that will run in two segments. MotorRacingNetwork.com
will stream live coverage starting at 8 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, April 26, with
Dave Moody and Steve Post anchoring the broadcast.

This marks the second
year that Hamlin has held his charity event at RIR in conjunction with the
track’s annual spring Sprint Cup/Nationwide Series doubleheader. Proceeds from
the race will benefit the Denny Hamlin Foundation, which raises funds for
individuals and families suffering from cystic fibrosis. Fans can make donations
by visiting www.dennyhamlinfoundation.org.

“What a great way for Motor
Racing Network to get the Richmond weekend started,” said President and
Executive Producer David Hyatt. “We tip our hat to Denny Hamlin, his foundation
and everyone at Richmond International Raceway for embracing this event and
allowing MRN to be part of it.”

Thursday’s race is
part of the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Division …
but with a twist. A number of big-name NASCAR drivers are competing including
Hamlin himself, Stewart, Jeff Burton, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch – a two-time
winner of the special event.

Thursday’s webcast at www.motorracingnetwork.com,
will kick off three straight days of MRN coverage from Richmond International
Raceway. The live broadcast of the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 for the
Nationwide Series will follow on Friday night at 7 p.m. (EDT). Motor Racing
Network’s weekend will wrap up with the Capital City 400 Presented by
Virginia is for Lovers Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

MRN’s 2012 broadcast
schedule features 87 live events from 33 venues, including full coverage of
both NASCAR races from Richmond International Raceway this weekend. In addition
to serving a nationwide network of affiliate radio stations, all programming is
streamed live at individual stations’ websites, at www.motorracingnetwork.com
and on mobile devices.

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. CEO Bruton Smith confirmed
today that the track will undergo additional modification in the coming weeks to
narrow the track and eliminate variable-degree banking in the turns. The
announcement came in response to fan complaints of less bump-and-run racing at
the Tennessee oval; long renowned as one of the most volatile venues in NASCAR.

Smith said the changes were largely fan-driven, adding, “I
said when this process began last month that I would listen to what the fans
said they wanted. After a week to 10 days, there was no question that the
overwhelming majority was asking for alterations to the track. We have listened
to fans, heard from drivers and talked to engineers about what to do and how
much time we had to do it. Once we knew the direction, we located the right
equipment to make it happen.”

Smith said fans spoke loudly about their desire to see a
return to the no-holds-barred style of racing that characterized the Tennessee
track before a major reconstruction project in 2007 added banking and width to
the racing surface. Bristol ‘s 160,000-seat grandstands were roughly half-full
for last month’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series “Food City 500.”

While Smith has said it is possible to restore Bristol to
its precise, pre-2007 specifications, he stopped short of doing so, electing
instead to modify the current layout. Crews will immediately begin removing the
track’s uppermost groove, installing a new concrete surface that does not
include the variable-degree banking that produced increased side-by-side racing
in recent years. The track’s overall width will also be reduced, leaving drivers
less room to maneuver. Work will be completed in time for a scheduled Goodyear tire
test there in early June.

“The
majority of fans we heard from said they wanted adjustments made,” said Smith. “The
bulk of those said the progressive banking was what they didn't like. So that's
the focus of our efforts, and that is what we are working to change.”

His uncanny skill at qualifying a race car proves that.
His 49 career poles ranks tied for ninth all-time. Maybe more impressive: Isaac
captured 19 poles in 1969, which still stands as the record for poles in a
single season. Only 37 drivers have 19 or more poles in their entire career.

Isaac began racing in NASCAR’s premier series in 1961. He
finished runner-up in the series standings in 1968 behind NASCAR Hall of Fame
inductee David Pearson.In 1969 he
finished sixth in the standings after posting 17 wins and those 19 poles.

In his breakthrough season, 1970, Isaac won the
championship posting 11 victories, 32 top fives and 38 tops in 47 starts.

A year later, in September 1971, he set 28 world class
records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in his Dodge. Many of his records still
exist to this day.

Isaac won 37 races in NASCAR's top series during his
career, which ranks 19th on the all-time wins list.

This is the latest in
a series of GodfatherMotorsports.com biographies profiling the 25 nominees for
the 2012 class of the NASCAR Hall Of Fame. Each of the 25 candidates will be
profiled in the coming weeks, in alphabetical order.

As part of its nationwide campaign to promote the importance of clean coal technology, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity is partnering with Dale Earnhardt Jr. to represent the coalition and increase awareness. The agreement is part of a larger sponsorship between ACCCE and JR Motorsports that includes primary branding on JRM cars for four races and associate branding for the duration of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

This is the first-ever sponsorship of a NASCAR team for ACCCE, which supports energy policies that balance coal’s role in supplying the United States with affordable and reliable electricity.

Earnhardt is a coal man.

“We are extremely pleased to announce this new partnership, which includes both
elements of our primary assets – Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports,” said Kelley
Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JR Motorsports. “Teaming up with the
American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity is somewhat new territory for us,
one that we hope will take the Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports brands to new homes
and markets. The ACCCE’s initiative to inform and educate about opportunities
of powering with clean coal is something we can truly support with coal being
such an abundant and affordable natural resource.”

The ACCCE will receive primary logo placement and branding on Cole Whitt’s No.
88 Chevrolet in Nationwide Series races at Dover International Speedway June 2,
Michigan International Speedway May 16, Iowa Speedway Aug. 4 and Kentucky
Speedway Sept. 22. ACCCE will have associate sponsorship placement on Whitt’s
car starting this week at Richmond International Raceway and continuing through
the remainder of the season. ACCCE will also be an associate sponsor on Dale
Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 5 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series race at Talladega
Superspeedway on May 5.

“Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his team are one of the elite groups in racing and
we’re proud to be partnering with them,” said Evan Tracey, senior vice
president for communications of ACCCE. “NASCAR is a great way for ACCCE to
reach out to American families about the important role that coal plays in
delivering affordable power for the American economy. We’re excited to talk to
JR Motorsports fans about how coal keeps electricity affordable, reliable and
increasingly clean.”

Whitt and the No. 88 team are currently ranked sixth in the NASCAR Nationwide
Series championship. The team’s season tally includes one Top-5 and two Top-10
finishes in six starts. Earnhardt Jr. is slated to run his fourth and final
Nationwide Series race of 2012 at Talladega. His season-best finish in the
Nationwide Series is fifth at Bristol on March 17.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

For the second consecutive year, five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series champion Jimmie Johnson has been named America's Most Influential
Athlete by Forbes Magazine.

Forbes surveyed more than 1,100 adults, questioning them about
national and internationally known athletes to gauge their popularity and
marketability. Respondents were asked to choose from 40 different terms to describe
each athlete, and 25 percent of those questioned used the word "influential"
to describe Johnson, with 40 percent saying they liked the Hendrick Motorsports
driver.

Teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. was ranked seventh, after
holding the No. 3 slot a year ago. Jeff
Gordon was not ranked this year, after making the list last season. Six of this
year’s Top-10 athletes were NFL players, including brothers Peyton and Eli
Manning, Tim Tebow, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.